Relationships between stride length, stride frequency, velocity, and morphometrics of foals.

The research investigated the relationship between stride length, frequency, velocity and body measurements in 19 young male foals with the aim to understand how these variables interact during different gaits, such as walk, trot, and canter-gallop.

Overview of Methodology

• The research involved studying 19 male foals, aged between 6 to 8 months.
• Eighteen distance and 8 angle measurements were obtained from the films of standing foals to record body measurements.
• The total mass of each foal and the percentage of total mass acting through the forelimbs were recorded.
• Stride length, frequency, and velocity data were extracted from 239 stride films and various velocities – walk, trot and canter-gallop.
• All these data were analyzed using polynomial-regression analysis, and stepwise-regression analysis.

Key Findings

• Stride length and frequency varied depending on the velocity which led to overlaps in the velocity ranges at which different gaits were used.
• The walk or trot was used at velocities ranging between 1.7 to 2.0 m/s, while a trot or canter was used over a wider velocity range of 3.2 to 5.8 m/s.
• The maximum stride length did not exceed 4.72 m and the mean stride length at a frequency of 2 strides/s was 2.57 m.
• Body mass and body length significantly influenced stride length but with opposite effects: the total mass had a positive correlation (longer stride with more mass) while the length of the metacarpus (one of the long bones in the forelimb) had a negative correlation (longer stride with shorter metacarpus).
• Wither height showed no significant correlation with stride length.

This research provides insights into the biomechanics of the gait of young foals, which could be of potential interest to equine practitioners, horse trainers, and in broader terms, add knowledge to biomechanics and animal locomotion.